Deaths: Police examine the scene after members of the family were shot dead in the French Alps Aerial photo of the car at the murder scene in the forrest near Chevaline and Lake Annecy in the French Alps.
Mr Saad al-Hilli, his wife, Iqbal, and a 74-year-old woman who held a Swedish passport and who is reported to be Mr al-Hilli's mother-in-law, wer

A hired assassin with military experience could have murdered four people in the Alps for just £1,680, a witness has told British police.

The chilling claim was released today — the first anniversary of the massacre close to Lake Annecy, in France.

Iraqi-British engineer Saad Al-Hilli, 50, his wife Ikbal, 47, and her mother Suhaila al-Allaf, 74, were killed by one or more gunmen on September 5 last year. French cyclist Sylvain Mollier, 45, was also shot dead but Mr Al-Hilli’s daughters Zainab, eight, and Zeena, five, survived the attack.

British police have refused to comment on the joint investigation, but their counterparts in Annecy confirmed that suspicions about a contract killing were “high on the agenda”.

One French investigating source said: “The contract could be linked to an inheritance dispute within the Al-Hilli family.” The source confirmed that an “English witness” had suggested the entire Al-Hilli family was targeted by a mercenary from the Balkans who was paid the equivalent of £1,680.

Twenty one bullets were fired at the BMW in which the Al-Hillis were sitting but none damaged its bodywork. Instead, they passed through a car window before finding their targets.

At least five other bullets ended up in the body of Mr Mollier.

According to today’s Le Figaro newspaper, French police are also following up claims that a French convict was offered 100,000 (£84,000) “to eliminate an Iraqi settled in England”. Mr Al-Hilli’s brother Zaid Al-Hilli, 54, was arrested at his home in Surrey in June on suspicion of conspiracy to murder, and has since been bailed. He denies any wrongdoing.

Annecy prosecutor Eric Maillaud said the brothers were in dispute over their father’s inheritance, which included the £1 million family home in Claygate, Surrey. Kadhim Al-Hilli died in Spain two years ago aged 85.